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Boice Films
Ralph & Gladys Boice were owners of the Strand and Boice Theatres in Warsaw during the 1930's-1950's. Ralph would travel around Kosciusko County filming the daily life at that time. They would then develop the black and white film and show them in their down town theatre that same day. In 1985 Gladys Boice donated the entire Boice Film collection to the Kosciusko County Historical Society for safekeeping and community use. With a generous grant from the Esther Pfleiderer Charitable Trust and recommendations from the National Film Preservation Foundation, these clips were preserved.
Click here to see a clip of Mr. Boice.
To preserve the films taken of the WWII Kosciusko County Servicemen taken by Ralph Boice, and memorialize their deeds, the Kosciusko county Historical Society has prepared chronological film clips of their departure for training. The clips dating from November 1940 to December 1945 show servicemen and their families prior to leaving for training. A touch screen kiosk with printing capability allows access either by the name of the serviceman or the date of departure.
The kiosk also has film clips relating to life in Kosciusko County during WWII. For example, the activities of lady volunteers to both the Salvation Army Auxiliary and Red Cross are shown. Financing the war effort through the sale of war bonds, recruitment of personnel for the armed forces and scrap drives to provide the raw materials to build guns, ships and tanks are shown.
Click here to see clip of scrap drive.